• What do you see going on in the verses?
  • Matthew authored this book. The audience is Greek-speaking Jewish Christians during the time after Christ’s resurrection; between AD 50 and 70. 
  • Attitude toward wealth should be such that we aren’t seeking to live to gain money. Our heart is where our treasure is, and that should be in spiritual things. Every material thing is subject to decay or loss. Christians must be single-minded in serving God and not ‘mammon’ (mammon is used in some translations). Mammon stands for being dominated by money and materialistic worldly riches. Mammon is a Syriac word, that signifies gain; so that whatever in this world is, or is accounted by us to be, gain (Philippians. 3:7), is mammon.
    • We must not count these things as the best things.
    • We must not call them glory.
    • We must not covet an abundance of these things.
    • We must not confide in them for time to come.
    • We must not say to the gold, You are my hope.
    • We must not content ourselves with them, as all we need or desire:
      • – We must be content with a little for our journey, but not with all for our share.
  • Jesus urges us not to value possessions enough to seek them. Jesus’ words hit at the core of human selfishness, challenging both the well-to-do and the poor.
  • We must watch carefully for hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness in choosing the master we serve.

But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

“Christ designs not to deprive us of our treasure, but to direct us in the choice of it.” -Matthew Henry

• What is God’s word saying?
  • Wow! As it says above, “Jesus’ words hit at the core of human selfishness.” My humanness makes it very hard to stick with serving only one master. In not choosing to serve only one, I find myself splitting and fracturing trying to do the splits with one foot in Eternity with Jesus and one foot in the World. However, the more I focus on God and His word the less I’m looking longingly at the world and the things in it. I long more for Heaven with my Triune God.
  • In all honesty, I’m not really materialistic. I only want things that I truly need to survive.
  • This is also talking about my spiritual health, not just my physical. So, my goals and aim are to stay in God’s word and seek Him always, not the world. It has nothing of value to be worthy for me to gain it.
  • The world/earth or only temporary. When it is gone, Heaven is the only answer.

Prayer: Thank You, Father God, for showing the true value of gaining heaven in eternity instead of the world and its “stuff”. I pray that all Your children will see and accept You and heaven for eternity. I lift up the ill and pray for well-being and peace of mind. I pray that we would all trust and obey You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.